PMK was founded by S. Ramadoss, who had earlier worked with the Vanniyar Sangham founded by him in 16 July 1989. PMK has advocated the bifurcation of the state of Tamil Nadu, a proposal that was seen as a casteist line as PMK is stronger in the northern half of the TN State. It is a dominant Vanniyar party but had other communities as well[2]

Following the 2004 general election elections, PMK joined United Progressive Alliance led by Congress. In June 2008, Climaxing months of bitter relationship between DMK and PMK, the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu severed its ties with the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), an outside supporter of the Karunanidhi government.[3] However, the DMK did not press for the party's removal from the UPA government at the Centre.